Fight the phish
Cybercriminals often go “phishing” for private information, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made this digital plague even worse, according to the National Cyber Security Alliance. That’s why it’s important to know how to spot phishing attempts and report them to authorities. There are three main steps to follow:
Step 1: Spot phishing
Start by keeping an eye out for odd or unexpected messages via chat, email, text, or other channels of communication.
Any time you get a message from an unknown sender that asks you to take an action, consider it a red flag. Even if the message seems to come from a trusted sender, stop and look more closely.
Some phishing messages are disguised to look like they come from a real company, like PayPal or Netflix. So, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), here are a few things to watch out for.
Generic greetings like “Hello dear” or “Hi friend.”
Reports of a “problem with your account” that require action.
A request to click on a link or attachment.
Step 2: Stop and look
Don’t click any links in these messages, and don’t open or download any file attachments.
These links or attachments may contain adware, malware or spyware that can infect your device and even allow hackers to gain access to your account passwords and other private information.
Or a link may lead you to a page where a scammer is trying to grab your private information or “sell” you something to get your credit card number.
Step 3: Report phishing
Take a few minutes to alert businesses and government agencies to any phishing attempt you experience.
Reporting phishing can help officials learn about new scams and pursue cybercriminals to stop them from victimizing others in the future. The FTC recommends that you report phishing attempts to these places.
The Anti-Phishing Working Group. Forward phishing emails to the group at reportphishing@apwg.org and forward phishing texts to SPAM (7726).
The FTC. Also report phishing and other fraud to the FTC using the FTC fraud report page.
The company. If a phishing email is disguised to look like it came from a real business, alert that business. Most large companies have a dedicated email you can use to report phishing scams. If you can’t find the information on their website, contact customer service to ask how to report phishing.
Following these three steps can keep you safe from many phishing attacks and can help you “do your part” to put a stop to phishing.